May 16, 2014

MERS Watch: Six-week skyrocket

The global total number of cases of the Middle East coronavirus has nearly tripled in the past month and a half, according to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC).

At the end of March, the agency reported, the world had seen 221 cases; in the following six weeks ending today, another 400 were recorded. That includes 188 fatalities.

But those 621 cases do not include new cases reported today from Saudi Arabia, which recorded another six patients and three deaths. That brings the hard-hit nation's own totals to 520 cases with 163 deaths, up nine and three respectively, from the ECDC's toll.

Saudi Arabia is followed in number of cases -- although not closely -- by the United Arab Emirates, which has recorded 67 cases and nine deaths, according to the ECDC. Seven other countries in the region have a total of 24 cases and 12 deaths.

Other regions -- Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas -- have seen a total of 19 cases and seven deaths and all patients have had primary epidemiological links to the Middle East.

For instance, the two cases in the Americas -- both in the U.S. -- involved healthcare workers who worked in Saudi Arabia.

The first U.S. case, in Munster, Ind., has apparently been resolved. The patient has recovered, no longer tests positive for the virus, and has been discharged from the hospital. No secondary cases have been reported.

The second patient remains in a hospital in Orlando and was reported Thursday to be improving. Several healthcare workers were exposed to the patient before MERS was suspected, according to the Florida health department, but all have tested negative for the virus.

The exact number of cases is a moving target and has been dogged by delays in reporting. The World Health Organization, for instance, reported Thursday it had been officially informed of just 572 laboratory-confirmed cases, with 173 deaths.

Comments

The global total number of cases of the Middle East coronavirus has nearly tripled in the past month and a half, according to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC).

At the end of March, the agency reported, the world had seen 221 cases; in the following six weeks ending today, another 400 were recorded. That includes 188 fatalities.

But those 621 cases do not include new cases reported today from Saudi Arabia, which recorded another six patients and three deaths. That brings the hard-hit nation's own totals to 520 cases with 163 deaths, up nine and three respectively, from the ECDC's toll.

Saudi Arabia is followed in number of cases -- although not closely -- by the United Arab Emirates, which has recorded 67 cases and nine deaths, according to the ECDC. Seven other countries in the region have a total of 24 cases and 12 deaths.

Other regions -- Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas -- have seen a total of 19 cases and seven deaths and all patients have had primary epidemiological links to the Middle East.

For instance, the two cases in the Americas -- both in the U.S. -- involved healthcare workers who worked in Saudi Arabia.

The first U.S. case, in Munster, Ind., has apparently been resolved. The patient has recovered, no longer tests positive for the virus, and has been discharged from the hospital. No secondary cases have been reported.

The second patient remains in a hospital in Orlando and was reported Thursday to be improving. Several healthcare workers were exposed to the patient before MERS was suspected, according to the Florida health department, but all have tested negative for the virus.

The exact number of cases is a moving target and has been dogged by delays in reporting. The World Health Organization, for instance, reported Thursday it had been officially informed of just 572 laboratory-confirmed cases, with 173 deaths.